1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to textile machinery and more particularly is directed towards a new and improved apparatus for napping the face of an open width running fabric web.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture of certain types of textile fabrics it is customary to nap one or both faces of the fabric by contacting the fabric face with power driven rotating brushes. In practice, a common apparatus for napping fabric in this fashion has been a planetary napping machine in which the cloth moves in a circular path about a cylinder with the planetary worker brushes spaced about the cylinder. In such planetary napping equipment, the speed of the cloth is limited for the reason that the fabric tends to balloon out at higher speeds accompanied by a reduction in the napping action.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fabric napping apparatus.
Another object of this invention is to provide a napping apparatus in which the fabric is moved in a generally straight line through a napping zone.
A further object of this invention is to provide a fabric napping apparatus in which fabric can be carried at a high speed in a substantially straight line against independently adjustable worker rolls in rotating pairs.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a napping apparatus in which the worker brushes are cyclically cleaned by a single movable cleaning roll.